1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a case for packaging and dispensing a powdery or semi-fluid product. This product is, in particular, a powder for a care personal or make-up product for the skin or for the hair, and more especially, a powder, cheek blusher or eyeshadow, or a make-up foundation.
2. Discussion of the Background
Related cases for make-up powder comprise a rigid body closed by a lid, which case accommodates a vertically movable receptacle or rigid pan containing the powder and a screen capable of allowing the powder to pass. These cases comprise, moreover, an applicator element such as a puff disposed on the screen. A mechanical pressure exerted by the puff on the screen makes it possible to take up a certain quantity of powder.
Unfortunately, because of the uncontrolled mobility of the screen in this type of case, the powder is in permanent contact with the screen, in particular when the case is moved or shaken when in its closed position, which frequently happens when the case is carried in a handbag or in a traveling case. This permanent contact between the powder and the screen produces a considerable emergence of powder coming to impregnate or permanently overload the puff. Thus when the user opens the case to make herself up, the surplus powder deposited on the puff escapes, fouling the whole case and the surrounding space. Such a case thus has the drawback of a bad seal with respect to the powder.
Moreover, related powder compacts similar to those described above, comprise furthermore a damping and/or aerating means. Such a case is, in particular, described in FR-A-2719202. The damping and/or aerating means has the purpose of decompacting and/or aerating the powder between successive take-up operations.
In this type of case, the powder is permanently acted on by the damping and/or aerating means and remains constantly in contact with the screen, in particular, in the closed position when the case is shaken. Moreover, the forced ventilation of the powder when the case is shaken promotes its emergence from the receptacle. This case, therefore, has the same disadvantages of an imperfect seal with respect to the powder.
Furthermore, the above types of cases do not permit the storage and dispensing of semi-fluid products. Indeed, since such products readily flow out under their own weight, they would escape via the screen from the receptacle in too large a quantity. This would result in too heavy an impregnation of the applicator element by the product, rendering it unusable.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,557,620 describes an applicator case for a powdery product wherein the emergence of the product is promoted by having a bellows-type device available beneath the reserve of the product, allowing pressurized air to be injected in contact with the powder. The powder is contained in a reservoir with a fixed volume. Such devices also pose sealing problems during their carriage, as well as problems concerning accuracy of the dosing of the powder. However, these problems are not critical for the application envisaged in that document, that is to say, the application of a charcoal or maize starch-type powder before a surface is painted.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,919,703 describes a case in which there is inserted a powder reservoir, taking the form of a deformable or pliable structure whose top forms a screen through which the product is forced to emerge under the effect of pressure exerted on the side remote from the screen with a view to its dispensing by means of a puff-type element. The drawback of such a device lies mainly in the fact that the screen is supported by a deformable or pliable structure and is therefore not mounted at a fixed height in the case. There does indeed arise the problem of the accurate dosing of the product on the puff, inasmuch as the screen could give way under the effect of pressure exerted by means of the puff. Moreover, during the carriage of such a case, the sizeable free space which may exist between the screen and the puff allows the powdery product to pass through the screen, thus unduly impregnating the applicator and producing dirty marks during the opening of the case.
Thus there remains the need for a packaging and dispensing case for a powdery or semifluid product, which allows a sufficient quantity of the product to be taken up, without an excessive emergence of the product during transport and/or storage.